Family

Several
of Intelius’ nonprofit partners are featured in Evening Magazine’s “The Best of
Western Washington.” The nonprofits are competing among 267 others to win the
honor of BEST
favorite local charity! Intelius has seen first-hand what these
organizations have done for our community, and we wish them all the best of
luck.

Here’s a bit about each organization:

Hopelink
Since 1971, Hopelink has served homeless and low income families, children,
seniors and people with disabilities. Hopelink's mission is to promote
self-sufficiency for all members of our community.Vote
here

The
Sophia Way
The Sophia Way assists single homeless women in East King County, Washington on
their journey toward independence. They provide shelter, permanent housing, and
supportive services. Currently, they are the only staffed overnight shelter for
single adult women on Seattle’s Eastside. Vote
here

Treehouse
for Kids
Treehouse programs offer kids in foster care what all children so desperately
need: a safe place to dream. Their six core programs – Tutoring, Educational
Advocacy, College and Career Planning, Little Wishes, Summer Camp and the
"Wearhouse" – give foster children a real childhood as well as hope
for the future. Vote
here

YWCA
The YWCA's mission is to advance the quality of life for women of all ages,
races and faiths, and their families. In support of this mission, the YWCA
provides services to meet critical needs, promote self-sufficiency, reduce
violence, eliminate racism and achieve equal opportunities for all people. Vote
here

Youth
Care
Founded in 1974, YouthCare was the first shelter for homeless youth in the
Western United States and continues to be a leader in providing services to
this vulnerable population. YouthCare offers services ranging from street
outreach and residential housing to education and employment training. Intelius
sponsors their “YouthTech” program, which teaches kids about Cisco IT Essentials
and gives them hands-on classroom technology training.Vote
here

Boys
& Girls Clubs of Bellevue
Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue was founded in 1952 with one Clubhouse in
downtown Bellevue. Since its inception, the Club has provided the young
people of our community with a safe environment where adults respect and listen
to them; a place where they can have fun. Today Boys & Girls Clubs of
Bellevue operates 14 sites within the City of Bellevue. Intelius sponsors their
“teen center.”Vote
here

Cast
your vote today to help out these fantastic partners. Winners will be announced
here
on October 24th.

There’s no denying that it’s difficult economic climate out
there. Here at Intelius, we are binding together more than ever to give back to
our community. It’s a sad reality that nonprofits are facing decreased support
in a time of increased need.

Most grandparents would stop at nothing to help one of their grandchildren in a time of need. The love and concern a grandparent has for their grandchildren is exactly what con-artists are banking on in the recent surge of scams targeting grandparents.

These scammers, posing as a grandchild in need, call seniors and ask that they write a check or wire money to help get them out of trouble or jail. Preying off a grandparent's concern, these professional scammers are very persuasive and have already contacted seniors across the country and have conned some out of thousands of dollars.

A similar scam has recently taken to the web. Scammers are now scouring the social networking site, Facebook, looking for people who either appear to be grandparents or those who are actually making status updates or posting pictures of their grandchildren. Using information they see on their profiles, these con-artists message unsuspecting grandparents telling them that they are in desperate need of help and ask them to wire money.

However, there are ways to avoid being duped by these scammers; here are some tips on how to handle a potentially fraudulent phone call or Facebook message.

1. Be cautious. Every grandparent wants to help their grandchildren, but make sure they understand that if they receive a call, or any type of online communication, asking for money it could be a scam.

2. Confirm the truth. If a grandparent receives a request for money over the phone or on a social networking site, they should verify the situation with the grandchild's parents, even if the grandchild asks them not to.

3. Ask personal questions. To help verify the identity of the caller ask personal questions that only a grandchild or family member can answer.

4. Know their number. Have a comprehensive list of family phone numbers on hand. If a call seems suspicious, immediately call the grandchild in need at their home or on their cell. If the call is from an unfamiliar phone number, doing a Reverse Phone search or Reverse Cell Phone Directory lookup might be a good idea.

5. Call the police. If a call seems like a potential scam, make sure to contact the police immediately with a detailed description of the interaction.

For students Spring Break is one of the most exciting times of the year. For parents it means worrying about what your kids are up to. If your kids are heading off for vacation, whether it's their Senior Trip, a college Spring Break or on a trip with family friends, here are a few things you can remind them do to protect them while they're away.

Get the address and contact information for the place where your kid will be staying. You may even wish to contact the place in advance to verify reservations or accommodation details.

Become Familiar with the Destination: Spend some time online learning about the area, potential hazards, and specific places to avoid and share your findings with your kid before they go.

If your child is traveling with a group of friends, request the contact info of the other parents and create a phone list and share it so parents can get in touch with each other in case of an emergency.

Stick to the buddy system. Yes, you've been telling them this since they were little, but remind them not to go out alone, regardless of the time of day. They're on Spring Break to spend time with their friends so this is not a tall order.

Before they go make sure they have all their emergency contact info programmed into their phone or safely placed in their wallet or purse. Also, go online and find contact info for emergency services in the immediate area for where they will be staying.

To put your mind at ease set a time everyday, while they're gone, that they will call or text to check in with you. If nothing else, this will make you sleep better while they're gone knowing what they are .

Talk to your kids about the dangers of alcohol. In addition to reminding them of the obvious health hazards of alcohol abuse, take the opportunity to discuss how alcohol can impair judgment and potentially put them in dangerous situations. If they are going to be drinking, instruct them to never leave their drink unattended around people they are not familiar with. Bars and environments where your child is exposed to strangers are common places where predators may have the opportunity to slip harmful substances into their drink.

Encourage your kids to use debit or credit cards instead of carrying around large amounts of cash. Not only will they get the best exchange rate if they happen to be visiting a foreign country, but they could also avoid potentially dangerous situations that may arise if bystanders observe your son or daughter's wallet or purse full of cash. If it is necessary to carry cash, instruct them to only carry what they need and keep the rest in a safe place.

As a parent you will never stop worrying but at a certain point reminding your kids to be responsible and aware of their surroundings is important. So relax a little more this Spring Break and give them the guidance and tools they need to stay safe.

Do you have any tips you'd like to share about keeping safe this Spring Break?